1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bullet-resistant hand-held defensive object, such as a head and neck shield, that may be used by law enforcement personnel to protect portions of the body, such as the head and neck, against injury from being shot at close range, as may occur when a police officer approaches a stopped vehicle.
The present invention pertains more specifically to a bullet resistant clipboard box or some similar portable shield like object containing a bullet-resistant material, for example, a plurality of layers of KEVLAR, to protect against injury to parts of the body not otherwise normally protected by other defensive devices, such as bullet-proof vests and the like.
2. Background Description
It is well known that the use of handguns in the commission of violent crimes in American society has increased significantly over the last several decades. No one is more acutely aware of this increase in violent crime by the use of handguns than police and other law enforcement agency personnel. As a result, it has become increasingly common for such personnel to wear bulletproof vests and other such defensive gear, even during the performance of ordinary duties, including, for example, when approaching a vehicle after a traffic stop for a violation of the vehicle code. Unfortunately, under the law in many states, the police officer approaching an occupied vehicle during a traffic investigator is not permitted to approach the vehicle with his handgun drawn unless he or she has probable cause to believe that he or she is in danger of being attacked. Most often, it is not immediately apparent to the officer approaching such a vehicle that his or her safety is in any way in danger. Most such stops occur after an officer witnesses a violation of a vehicle code which is typically is a violation, a category of offers that is less than a minor misdemeanor. Additionally, the vast majority of traffic offenses are committed by generally law-abiding citizens; thus, for the vast majority of traffic stops the officer has nothing to fear. Consequently, in many cases where the driver or other occupant or a vehicle pulls a gun and fires at the approaching officer or officer positioned adjacent the drivers open window, the officer is caught totally by surprise and unaware that such an event will occur. More importantly, even in those cases where an officer approaching a vehicle may be wearing a bullet-proof vest, his entire head and neck as well as various upper body extremities may be exposed. Certainly, at short range, an officer's upper body parts are prime targets for a driver or other vehicle occupant whose principal goal is to mortally wound an officer, leaving the officer lying in the road and pulling away from the scene.
It can, therefore, be seen that there is a need to provide a defensive object which can be held or worn by an officer approaching the vehicle and which is configured to protect the officer's head, face, neck and hands in particular to prevent a mortal wound that might otherwise occur, particularly at such short range and as a result of the violent impact of a bullet with any of such critical body surfaces. Of course, any such defensive device must be practical for use by officers in the normal course of their activities. Otherwise they will not be used and thus irrespective of their effectiveness, will not serve to reduce this problem because officers will simply refuse to use them.
By way of example, some obvious requirements are that such a defensive device be easy to carry, that it be light in weight, that it not interfere with the ordinary activities of the officer, that it not be unduly uncomfortable for the officer to hold or wear, that it not interfere with the officer's ability to observe his surroundings and particularly the person to whom he is speaking after approaching a vehicle, and that it not be considered unduly overprotective and thus embarrassing to the officer or otherwise demeaning of the officer's sense of confidence and authority.